Ailing 60-Foot Whale Washes Ashore in Breezy Point, Queens

An endangered finback whale was found beached on the shores of Breezy Point, Queens yesterday. The 60-foot creature was stranded on the bay side of the Rockaways and authorities are saying it has slim chances of survival. It is unclear what caused the ailing animal to beach itself but it has captured the attention of the community and workers have been trying their best to save it.

The whale was washed ashore in a coastal enclave of Queens that was hard hit by Superstorm Sandy. Emergency workers responded to the call, which came around 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday. While waiting for the tides to subside, marine biologists noticed bloody abrasions on the sunken head of the 60-foot finback whale.

The animal is severely emaciated and weighs just 25 to 30 tons – half the typical weight for a finback of that length. According to biologist Mendy Garron, it is unclear what caused the whale to beach itself. She says it isn’t moving much and “looks very compromised”. The whale might have injured itself while grinding against the sand or while swimming. One other possibility is that the creature was struck by a sea vessel.